Cotton thinning device



Jan. 5, 1943. H, c, TYLER ETAL- 2,307,310

COTTON THINNING DEVICE 3 Sheets-Sheet l I Filed April 7, 1941 Im'vntm- AHome Jan. 5, 19.43. H. c. TYLER ETAL 2,307,310 COTTON THINNING' DEVICEFiled April 7, 1941 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Attorney Jan. 5, 1943. H. c. TYLERETAL 2,307,

COTTON THINNING DEVICE 1 Filed Ap ril 7, 1941 s Sheets-Sheet :s

In venlar x7519 A4 M 5420 A Harm l atented Jan. 5, 1943 I 2,307,310COTTON THINNING DEVICE Herman 0. Tyler and John H. McElroy, Lemoore,Calif;

Application April 7, 1941, Serial No. 387,306

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFl 3 Claims.

This invention relates to a cotton thinning device which may be coupledto a cultivator or some otherv similar agricultural machine to receivedraft and partial support therefrom, and has for the primary object theprovision of a device of this character which will not materiallyincrease the amount of draft power necessary for its operation and theagricultural machine over that usually employed for said machine andwill eihciently thin cotton and may be adjusted to increase and decreasethe distance between the cotton plants left standing for growth intomaturity.

With these and other objects in view as will become more apparent as thedescription proceeds, the invention consists in certain novel featuresof construction, combination and arrangement of parts as will behereinafter more fully described and claimed.

For a complete understanding of our invention,

reference is to be had to the following description and accompanyingdrawings, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation illustrating a cottonthinning device constructed in accordance with our invention.

Figure 2 is a front elevation illustrating the device.j

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view the device.

Figure 4 is a transverse sectional view taken on the lined-4 of Figure1.

Figure 5 is a plan view illustrating the operating shafts for thethinning discs and the drive means therefor.

Figure 6 is a front elevation illustrating one of they thinning discs.

Figure 7 is a view in elevation illustrating one of the segments of thethinning discs.

Referring in detail to the drawings, the numeral 5 indicates a housingwhich is adapted to form a gear box and has extending from oppositesides thereof sleeve type journals 6, one of which has journaled thereonan idler type ground wheel I and the other has journaled therein a driveshaft 8, one end of which extends into the housing 5 and the oppositeend has secured thereon a ground traction wheel 9 provided with cleatsIf! arranged transversely of the periphery thereof and also arranged inspaced relation.

Arranged in the housing 5 and secured to the drive shaft is a beveledgear H to mesh with opposed beveled gears l2 and Hi. The front wall ofthe housing 5 is provided with a bearing sleeve M to act as a pilotbearing for the forward end of a disc shaft [5 which extends entirelythrough the housing and an elongated bearing sleeve I5 illustratingformed integrally with the rear wall of the housing. The bearing sleevel6 also rotatably supports a disc shaft I! of hollow formation throughwhich extends the disc shaft l5 and rotatably supportsthe latter. Theforward end of the shaft ll extends into the housing and has the gear I3secured thereto. The shaft l5 extends a,

selected distance beyond the rear end of the hollow shaft l1.

Removably mounted on the rear ends of the shafts are thinning discs 18which are rotated in reverse directions by the arrangement of the gearsI I, I2 and I3 and are driven by the traction wheel 9 when the device ismoved over the ground. The discs l8 are spaced a distance apart asclearly shown in Figure 3 and, as before stated, rotate in oppositedirections, the purpose of which is to remove certain cotton growthleaving at selecteddistances apart standing cotton plants which aretomature in the field.

Each disc is of concavo convex shape, as shown. in Figure 3, and isprovided with a triangular shaped cutout portion, the apexes of whichextend through the periphery of the disc to form the latter, intosegments, as indicated by the character A. Connected to the segments arebrackets or arms l9 which in turn are adjustably connected to a hub 2|.This arrangement of connection with the hub permits the discs to beadjusted towardand from each other for the purpose of varying thedistance of the thinning action on a row of growing cotton.

The hub of one disc is secured on the shaft I? while the other hub issecured on the shaft l5, the latter-named shaft extending through theformer mentioned hub. The hubs 2| are provided with square openings, asat l9, to fit square parts l5, H on the shafts l5 and ii, respectively.

A cufi 2| is mounted on the bearing sleeve l6 forwardly of the thinningdiscs and has extend ing from opposite sides thereof screwthreaded studs22 which pass through slots 23 in gauge members 24. Nuts 25 are threadedonto the studs 22 against the gauge members for adjustably securing thelatter on the bearing sleeve. The lower ends of the gauge members 2 3are angularly disposedto form ground shoes 26 which ride upon the groundand thereby gauge the depth at which the thinning discs may operate inthe soil.

Rotatably mounted on the bearing sleeve I6 is a substantially U-shapedyoke 27 having integral therewith a rod 28 which enters a cylinder 29.The rod 28 includes a head 30 operating in the cylinder and on whichbear oppositely arranged springs 32 and 33. The cylinder is providedwith a removable cap 34 to permit assembling of the head on the rod 28as well as assembling the springs 32 and 33. The springs work inopposition to each other and act as shock absorbing mediums for anyshock that is transferred from the ground wheels to the cylinder. Achain 22' connects the yoke 21 to the cuff 2|.

A collar 35 is adjustably mounted on the cylinder 29 and has detachablyconnected thereto a brace 36 which is in turn connected to a cultivatoror some other similar agricultural implement. Also connected to theimplement are towing members 31 which are in turn connected to thebearings sleeves G. The towing members 31 are detachably connected tothe sleeves 6 as well as to the towing device. This also applies to thebrace 36.

A coil spring 38 is connected to the pilot bearing.

tion and accompanying drawings that a very practical and efficientthinning device has been provided which may be employed for thinningvarious types of growth arranged in rows and which may be convenientlycoupled and uncoupled to a towing device, such as a cultivator or someother type of agricultural implement.

Further, it will be seen that through the construction of the thinningdiscs they may be readily adjusted for varying the distances between thegrowth left standing after receiving a thinning operation.

While wehave shown and described the preferredembodiment of ourinvention, it will be understood that minor changes in construction,combination and arrangement of parts may be made without departing fromthe spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

Having thus described our invention, what We claim is:

1. In a cotton thinning device, a housing, a bearing sleeve on saidhousing, ground wheels supporting said housing, disc shafts'journaled insaid bearing sleeve and extending into said housing, thinning discssecured to said shafts, gearing means connecting said shafts, means forconnecting one of said ground wheels to said gearing means for therotation of the thinning discs by the latter-named ground Wheel inopposite directions, and means for coupling the housing to a towingdevice, gauge members adjustably mounted on said bearing sleeve inadvance of the thinning discs including ground engaging shoes, acushioning device connected to said housing, means for connecting saidcushioning device to the towing device, and a spring connected to thecushioning device and to the housing for urging the thinning discstoward the ground.

2. In a cotton thinning device, a housing, wheel journals on saidhousing, ground wheels journaled on said wheel journals, a bearingsleeve on said housing and extending rearwardly thereof, a hollow shaftjournaled in said sleeve extending into said housing, a solid shaftjournaled in the hollow shaft and extending into the housing andjournaled therein and extending a selected distance beyond one end ofthe hollow shaft, gearing connecting said shafts for the rotationthereof in opposite directions and located in said housing, a drivingmeans between the gearing and one of the ground wheels, towing meansconnected to said housing and adapted for connection to a towing device,a yoke mounted on said wheel journals, .arod formed on said yoke andhaving a removable head, a cylinder receiving a portion of said rod andthe head, cushioning springs operating in opposition to each other inthe cylinder and against the head, means for connecting said cylinder tothe towing device, and thinning discs connected to said shafts, springmeans between said housing and yoke for urging the discs toward theground, and gauge elements adjustably connected to the bearing sleeveand including shoes to ride the surface of the ground in advance of thethinning discs.

3. In a cotton thinning device, a housing, wheel journals on saidhousing, ground wheels journaled on said wheel journals, a bearingsleeve on said housing and extending rearwardly thereof, a hollow shaftjournaled in said sleeve extending into said housing, a solid shaftjournaled in the hollow shaft and extending into the housing andjournaled therein and extending a selected distance beyond one end ofthe hollow shaft, gearing connecting said shafts for therotation'thereof in opposite directions and located in said housing, adriving means between the gearing and one of the ground wheels, towingmeans connected to said housing and adapted for connection to a towingdevice, a yoke mounted on said wheel journals, a rod formed on said yokeand having a removable head, a cylinder receiving a portion of said rodand the head, cushioning springs operating in opposition to each otherin the cylinder and against the head, means for connecting said cylinderto the towing device, and thinning discs connected to said shafts,spring means between said housing and yoke for urging the discs towardthe ground, and gauge. elements adjustably connected to the bearingsleeve and including shoes to ride the surface of the ground in advanceof the thinning discs, each of said discs including a concavo convexdisc provided with a central triangular shaped cutout portion extendingthrough the periphery of said disc to form segments, and a hubadjustably connected to the segments whereby they may be adjustedrelative to each other.

HERMAN C. TYLER. JOHN H. MCELROY.

